Breakfast
by Poodernite
Summary: Lorelai, Rory and Dean go to the diner for breakfast. Story told in five different perspectives, see what each person is thinking about when no one notices. Literati and Java Junkie undertones.
1. Lorelai

Breakfast

Author's Note: Takes place somewhere after "There's the Rub."  All that is important is that Dean and Rory are together.  The same scene is told in five different perspectives.  Don't worry, it's not repetitive at all.  I don't really know where this idea came from, but let me know what you think.

Disclaimer:  I do not own anything involving Gilmore Girls… except some Milo posters, some books, and my pre-ordered Season 1 DVD.  :-D

Chapter 1- Lorelai 

The Gilmore's House- Morning

"Do you want to borrow my purse?" I ask my daughter.

"Why?"

"Because I can see your book poking out of that purse you have."

"So?"

"So! That's like wearing a shirt that's longer than your jacket!"

"It is not that bad! Besides, I like this purse.  This shade of green is exactly the same color as the stripes on my shirt.  I can't use it with many outfits."

"It's like stripes and plaid, Rory.  It's too small; take my purple one," I suggest.

"Purple?  You're the one who's always warning me about the fashion police.  I'd get a ticket for sure."

"It's like Ugg boots and shorts.  Leave the book."

"Mom, I take a book everywhere.  This is what I'm reading."

"You mean to tell me that nowhere in that room of yours that is slowly being taken over by books, to the point where I worry that one day you'll go in your room, and never find your way out, that you have no smaller books that would fit in that purse that you _must _use because it perfectly matches your outfit?"

"Um, that's not what I'm saying at all.  I'm saying that I like this purse and that this is the book I want to read.  Now how about I'll hold the purse where you can't see it on our walk, and I'll put in on the floor when we get to Luke's.  Now can you just forget about it long enough to get some coffee?" 

"Oh! Coffee! Let's go!"  I remember how easily distracted and convinced I can be by the mention of java.

The doorbell rings and I find my keys and purse and follow Rory and her boyfriend out the door and over to Luke's.

After sitting down at a table, Jess comes downstairs and immediately brings coffee to our table.  

The second he pulls out his order pad to take our order, Luke comes over and tells Jess, "Go bus some tables."

"What can I get for ya?" Luke scans the table for who is going to speak up.  

I order, "Jack cheese omelet, and a side of bacon."

"Sounds good.  I'll have the same," Dean informs Luke.

"Alright, and Rory?" Luke asks.

She makes a face and continues thinking really hard about this decision.  

"I made blueberry syrup this morning, so something with syrup would be a good choice."

"Oh! I'll have pancakes!"  Rory exclaims.  

"What?!" I am appalled.  "I want blueberry syrup!"

"On your bacon?" Luke asks.

"No! Cancel that order.  Cancel my order immediately.  I want French toast!"

"Ok."

"With extra syrup!"  I suggest.

"Me too! Me too!"  Rory bursts out.

"Dean? Do you need to change your order?"  Luke asks.

"Of course he does!" I answer for him.  "What'll you have? Waffles?"

"No, I'll stick with the omelet," Dean tells me.

I look at him confused, "You can't put syrup on an omelet."

"I know, that's fine."  Rory and I look at Dean as if he has just grown another nose.

"Alright, you two try and figure out why Dean wouldn't want syrup, and I'll go get your food."  We decide to just accept his decision and move on.  

Hmph, why didn't Luke tell me that he made blueberry syrup?  If Rory weren't here, I'd be sitting here eating eggs and cheese when I could have been having some kind of bread covered in wonderful blueberry syrup.

During our meal, Jess comes over to refill coffee.  He pours some for Rory and before I get any, Dean speaks up.

"Can I get some coffee?"  Dean asks.

Jess looks at him, and sets the pot down on the table.

Jess walks away.  Rory takes a sip quietly and looks at me.  I send her a sympathetic glance.  She doesn't want to be in the middle of this.  I discreetly reach across the table, and pick up the coffee pot and pour myself some coffee.  Dean glares at me.

Rory slowly pushes her cup closer to Dean, inviting him to take a sip.  He looks at it and pushes it back.

Luke walks over when he sees the coffee pot.

"Please stop stealing my coffee pot, Lorelai."

"I didn't!"

"Whatever."  He grabs it and walks away.

On his way back to the counter, he passes Kirk's table.  Kirk stands up suddenly and knocks the coffee pot out of Luke's hand.  The coffee pot clanks on the ground and coffee spills all over the floor and splatters on both of their clothes.

"I'm so sorry Luke!"

Luke walks away.  Spends a minute in the back, comes out with a mop and a bucket, hands it to Kirk and goes upstairs to change into an identical pair of jeans.

We enjoy the rest of our food and Rory offers to walk Dean home.

Luke comes over and starts clearing their plates.

"Rory left."  Luke observes.

"Yeah, she went to walk Dean home.  He had work."  I explain.

"Rory left right when Jess left."  I noticed this too.

"I didn't want to read too much into that.  It could have just been a coincidence that Dean starts work right when Jess is on a break."

"Yeah, but Jess was pretty stubborn about taking his break now."

"Really?" I ask.

"Yeah, he's only been working for a half hour, do you really think he deserves a break?"

"Why'd you let him go?"

"He's been doing really well, and he seemed sincere.  He wanted to."

"Rory does bring out sincerity."

"You think it's for her?"

"I don't know.  I wouldn't be surprised."  I wouldn't be surprised, but this doesn't mean that I agree with it.  I need to get Rory to talk.  She needs to stop leading Dean on, or stop letting Jess think he has a chance if he doesn't.  Neither of them deserve to be treated like this now only to be let down in the end.

"Do you think this is for the best?"  Luke breaks into my thoughts.

"I don't think it matters what I think."

"It may not matter to her, but I still would like to hear it."

"I just think she needs to choose one of them.  And quite honestly, I think she will choose Jess, because she already has Dean, and she is looking for something else.  Seems as though she has found it in Jess.  She just needs to fill Dean in on what is going on. I feel so sorry for him.  He's such a nice kid."

"I know.  Jess isn't all bad."

"His mother is a Danes.  There is no way he could be all bad."  Lorelai flashes Luke a small smile.  

"Thanks."

A/N:  This is the end of the first chapter.  All five chapters are posted, each character is retelling the same scene.  Each one will start somewhere in the morning, go all through lunch and end somewhere thereafter.  Again, nothing is repeated.  Enjoy the rest of the story.  Hurry! Go read chapter two!  And don't forget to review! (Those last two lines rhyme. Hehe) 


	2. Rory

Chapter 2- Rory 

Stars Hollow Street- Morning

I hear my mom's cell phone ring for the third time in the last two minutes.

"Mom, who keeps calling you?"

"It's the Inn, probably Sookie." 

"Why don't you want to talk to Sookie?"

"Oh, I want to talk to her."

I look over at Dean we exchange confused glances.  He's confused a lot, I think he's just accepted it.  

I continue, "If you want to talk to her, why don't you answer your phone?"

"If I answer this call, then she might ask me to come to the Inn, and I haven't had coffee or breakfast, and I don't want to go."

"What if it's an emergency?"

"What kind of an emergency?"

"I don't know… an earthquake."

"An earthquake that hit just the Inn, and nowhere else.  That's likely, maybe I should call her back."  She says pulling out her cell phone just to mock me.

"Ok, bad example, what about, a leak?"

 "So, of course they would want me there, the best plumber in town!"

"Mom…"

"Or maybe if someone drove into the Inn, they could call me and I could go get the extra drywall we have just lying around and fix that up too. You know how I am with drywall!"

I just ask a simple question, and she'll be on this kick all day.  One of the many things I love about my mother.

"Ok mom." I roll my eyes, and look over to Dean and smile.  "I think I'll focus on you now."

"Sounds good to me."

Dean holds the door for my mom and I, and while Luke and my mom banter, Dean and I find a table and mom comes to join us.

"Or, maybe Sookie broke the stove and she wants me to come over and use my super powers to cook the food with just a glance from my eyes," Mom continues.

We place our order with Luke after he sends Jess away, which causes a surprising sense of disappointment for me.  Soon after, our food comes, and I am pleased when I see that the diner boy's nephew is carrying our food.

"Pancakes?"  He asks.

"Right here" I say quietly.

"French toast!" my mom yells before Jess asks her, but her plate is in front of her before she finishes.  

"Here are some extra napkins.  You'll need them."  Jess drops a napkin in front of me, and a small stack in the center of the table.  Jess walks away with no mention of where Dean's food is, or when it is coming.  I dig into my pancakes, expecting he will be right back with Dean's food.

After the first drop of syrup lands on my lap, I make a mental note to thank Jess for the napkins.  I take the napkin he gave me and begin opening it up to place on my lap.  I notice that someone has dirtied this white napkin.  

I read the familiar, small, slanted writing.  It reads, "Just finished Small Town Punk. Feel like talking? Want it back? Break in 20."  

He's already finished it.  I lent it to him two days ago.  It took me just under a week to get through it.  Feel like talking? Yes.  Do I want it back? Yes, especially if he wrote notes in the margin.  Usually I request that he does, but I think he knows the drill, and it makes me happy so he always does it when he borrows my books.  

It is a truly sensual experience reading his thoughts and getting inside his head.  It's like a less creepy version of Being John Malkovich.  Wow, why am I thinking about that?

How can I get out of this lunch and go see Jess.  I wonder if Dean has somewhere to go.  Maybe he works today.  I should ask him. 

I look up.  When did Luke get here?  I notice that everyone is engaged in a conversation that I am just not part of.  I fold the napkin back up and pick up my purse and place it inside.

"Rory?  What are you looking for?"  My mom asks me.

Huh.  Looking for?  Sure… I'm looking for something.  I shove my hand to the bottom of my purse and see what I find.

I hold up the little tube that I've found and look at it and declare, "Chapstick!"  I take off the cap and put some on.  At least I didn't pull out a tampon.  That could have been potentially embarrassing.  Good work purse.  I knew I always liked you.

Now that Dean has his food, everybody is occupied by his or her meal.

Mom starts up a conversation with Dean about school.  It's slightly pathetic that as far as I can see, my mother and my boyfriend have more to talk about, and more fun talking than my own boyfriend and me.

Dean responds, "I'm supposed to read _Othello_ for English."

"Oh really?" I get excited.  Something I know about.  Test me on my Shakespeare, go ahead, test me.  "I could lend it to you if you want." Shoot! I'm sure Jess has written in that book.  Please don't take me up on that offer! I could always buy another one and let him borrow that…

"That's ok.  I'll probably just read the cliff notes and watch O.  I like Julia Stiles.  I hear it's really similar to the book."  Dean responds.

"Oh, ok."  I tune back out of this conversation.  I remember why I don't talk to Dean.  We have nothing to talk about.  On the one hand I'm relieved he doesn't want my book because it would probably cause a fight because Jess has borrowed it already.  On the other hand, my boyfriend can't even make it through a great Shakespearean tragedy.  He'd rather spend a night with Mekhi Phifer than actually read a book.  That reminds me, I need to make a video for English class, maybe Dean would be willing to help me.

"Hey, would you be willing to help me with an English project tomorrow?"  I request.

"I work a little in the afternoon…but if you _really_ need me… I guess I could do it.  Would it be just the two of us?"

"No, Paris is my partner, but we need a guy in our video."

"Ugh.  Paris!  She's never liked me Rory.  I don't like spending more time with her than I have to."

Great, Dean doesn't want to do this, and I'm not going to force him, but I already told Paris I would find a guy to help us out for this project. Oh well, I'll think of something.

"That's ok, Dean, a lot of people feel that way.  Maybe she can find somebody to help us out.  Do you have work today?"

"Yeah. I have work in about 20 minutes, but I still need to change and stuff."

"Oh, ok, well I can walk you home."

Dean smiles.  "Thanks Rory.  Are you ready now?"  Rory looks at her watch.  Jess's break would start in five minutes, she should have enough time to walk Dean home and find Jess.

"Yeah, I'm ready," I say to Dean.  To my mom, "Do you have to go into work today?"

"Yeah, hun, just for a bit.  I'll be home in a couple hours."

"Alright, I'll see you later then."

I stand up and walk out of the diner with my boyfriend, the whole time thinking about another certain dark haired boy.  I feel guilty about this, but cannot really do anything to change it.  I need to go find Jess.

A/N: Ready for more? Go read Chapter 3! Review and tell me what you think.


	3. Luke

Chapter 3- Luke  

Luke's Diner- Morning

"Good morning, Kirk.  What can I get for you?"  I ask Kirk who doesn't look up from his menu.  

"Would you like to order?" I try and get his attention once again.  I don't have time for this.

"Kirk!!"

"Oh, huh?  There's no need yell," Kirk states calmly.  

"Just place your order.  You come in here everyday, why do you need to look at a menu?"

"I wanted to try something different today."

"Daring.  What'll it be?"

"Crepes."

"Crepes?"

"Blueberry crepes."

Maybe if I stare at him long enough he'll get the picture.

Kirk continues, "Actually, can I get one blueberry and one strawberry crepe?"  Apparently not.

"Kirk, you come here every day."

"Well a day earlier this month, Mother got sick, and I didn't leave her side...." I cut him off.

"You've been looking at that menu for twenty minutes."  Kirk checks his watch to verify my statement.

"Something like that, yes."

"And when you finally place your order, it's something we don't serve.  You can read, right?"

"Of course I can read."

"Ok, well then pick something on the menu."

"I'm sure I've seen people eating crepes in here before."

"You haven't because we don't make crepes."

"Since when?"

"Since always."

"I beg to differ."

"Differ all you want, I don't make crepes."

I look up as the bell jingles and Lorelai, Rory and Dean walk in the diner.

"Hey guys, I'm glad you're here.  Lorelai, have you ever eaten crepes here?"

"Luke, you know I love your crepes!  That's why I get them all the time!  You have the best crepes in town!"  

"I knew it!" Kirk exclaims and rushes out of the diner.  Oh well, less work for me.

"Was it something I said?"  Lorelai puts on her best innocent face and asks me sweetly.

Lorelai joins Rory and Dean at the table they have chosen.

I hear the phone ring.  Jess is far closer to the phone, but I take steps towards the phone anyway and answer it, "Luke's"

"Hey Luke, it's Liz."  Oh boy, what does she want me to do for her?

"What's up?" I decide to start out civil.

"I kind of have a favor to ask you." Shock.

"What is it?"

"Well you see… do you know the stuff I sent you, and I thought it all was Jess's?"

"Yes, I know about Jess's stuff, it's taking over my apartment.  Now, just ask what you need to ask, I have a diner to run and the faster you get it out, the sooner I can stop worrying about what it is that you need."

"Ok, I think I sent one of my books over with Jess's, and I kind of would like it back."

"Alright, tell me what it's called, I'll tell Jess and he can look for it for you."

I look at Jess, and when he hears his name and me volunteering him for something he looks at me and shakes his head.

"If we tell Jess to do it, it'll take him forever, I need it this week."

"Well, I'm not going to look through Jess's things, especially his books, he knows better than we do where everything is."

Jess starts to smirk and turns away so I can't see him.  I did.  He likes the trust and me defending him and his privacy from his mom.  I'm glad to give that to him, I kinda think he deserves it.

"You know what, Liz?  I'm not going to be your middleman.  I'm not looking through his stuff.  Period.  I'm also not going to harass him to do something for you.  If you want your own son to do something for you, you can call him and ask him yourself, and no, he is not here right now.  I will talk to you later."  And with that I hang up the phone.

This conversation makes Jess's small smirk turn into a full on grin.  He grabs a towel and walks away from me and starts busing some tables.

I walk into the back and help Caesar with the cooking responsibilities.  I am busy flipping hamburgers and making sandwiches.  I see Jess walk in the back and put an order up.  I glance at it.  _Straw. Crepes._

I finish making this order quickly, and take it out to a table near a window.  On my way back, I stop at Kirk's table.

"You ordered crepes."

"Yes I did.  I decided on strawberry."

"I don't know how to make crepes."

"Lorelai said she has had them! Jess said you served them! What do you have against me? I deserve crepes just as much as the next person.  Or the previous person."

"Ok, strawberry crepes coming up."  I decide to forget it and make anything resembling a crepe.

Ok, some strawberries, whatever, roll it up, whipped cream.  Whatever.  What does a crepe look like?  I'm not French.  I take the concoction I have made out to Kirk.

"Thanks."

"Your welcome."

I see Jess.  "We don't serve crepes."

"I just saw you with some."

"Those weren't crepes, anybody but Kirk would not have eaten them."

"So we only serve crepes to Kirk?"

"I guess.  I don't know."

"I need to know the policy on these things."

"Shut up Jess."

"I need to take my break."

"Already?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"No reason."

"Then why do you _have_ to take it?"

"I'll stop taking orders for crepes."

"Fine, go ahead."

"Thank you."

I watch Jess walk towards the door and make eye contact with Rory.  She holds his glance.  This must have to do with her.  Don't hurt him Rory.  I hope to God Jess knows what he is getting himself into.  Man, at least he's taking some initiative.  I could probably learn a lot from that kid.  For now, I need to work.  

A/N: Review please! I would love to know what you think about the story as you're reading it!

Otherwise, keep reading!


	4. Dean

Chapter 4- Dean 

Gilmore's house- Morning

I press the doorbell at Rory's house and I wait for her, or her bubbly mother to answer the door.  The door swings open and it's my beautiful girlfriend, I give her a peck on the lips, but nothing more because her mother is known to appear out of nowhere.  

"Hey Rory."

"Hey Dean."

"Sorry I couldn't talk too long on the phone last night, and I had to hang up somewhat abruptly."

"That's ok, don't worry about it."

"It's just that you called right at the end of a commercial during 'March Madness.'"

"Oh, sorry."

"That's ok, I'm just surprised you weren't watching it."

"You're surprised I wasn't watching college basketball?"

"Well, it was a great game! You would have really enjoyed it."

"I doubt it.  I don't know the rules to basketball."

"So?"

"So, it's hard to enjoy when you don't know what's going on."

"You said you like watching my basketball games."

"I like watching you.  The basketball has nothing to do with it."

"Alright, fair enough."

"Mom! Let's go!" Immediately, Lorelai appears and follows us out of the door.

We arrive at breakfast and after some talk about blueberry syrup that I try to stay out of, the girls are given their food by Jess.  I can't help but think it's not a coincidence that, not only did he not offer me coffee, but he didn't bring my food either.  I decide not to say anything to Rory or make a thing of it with Jess because I know this will only cause problems between us and that is the last thing that I want.

I watch Lorelai and Rory take bites of their food, and I also witness Rory spill syrup on herself.  She seems intent on cleaning it up because she stares at her lap and contemplates the spill for a quite a while.

Luke walks over a few minutes later with my breakfast.

"Hey Dean.  Sorry about the wait," Luke apologizes.

"Oh, it's no problem," I respond.

"Sorry, I burnt your toast, that's why it took longer than their breakfasts.  They didn't have toast.  But if they did, theirs would have taken just as long."

"Don't worry about it"

"But I couldn't give you burnt toast."

"Thanks for toasting me some new bread."

"Yeah I just went ahead and used the other toaster, and you got your toast.  And your omelet, so there you go."

"You know, you should make sure you clean the crumbs out of your toaster regularly.  That's the most common problems people have with toasters.  They'll throw them away when all they really need to do is clean them out."  I explain.

"Thanks a lot Dean.  I will check that out right now."

Luke walks away and Lorelai chuckles.  "What's with him?" she asks.

"What? What's with him?" I ask, confused.

"Nevermind Dean.  How's school?"  Lorelai starts up a conversation.

After some conversation, I realize I need to be getting to work soon.  Rory offers to walk me home.

I smile, thank her, and ask her if she is ready to go now.  She nods.

I stand up with Rory and link my arm with hers.

"Bye Lorelai," I say.

"Yeah, bye Mom, see you at home later."

"Bye hun.  Bye Dean, have fun stocking those beans."

"Thanks."

"If you stack the apples up real high and then notice that one of the apples is dirty or bruised or something, don't take the bottom apple out and cause all the other apples to tumble on top of you."

"Good advice," I say, humoring her.

"Oh well, if you think it's good advice, I have more…"

"Mom!" Rory stops her.

"Alright Princess Rory, anything you want."  She says to Rory, who nods satisfied.  When she has turned away and begins walking, Lorelai mouths to me, "don't put milk on top of bread."  I smile at her.  She can always make me smile.  If any person is almost permanently attached to my girlfriend's side, I'm glad it's her.

"Dean, Mom and I were talking about a movie night tonight, are you up for it?"

"I can't Rory."

"Oh, ok, well if you wanted to go out just the two of us, we could do that too."

I smile at her, "No, Rory, I'm really sorry, my aunt is coming in today and I have to have a family dinner tonight." 

"Oh, ok."  Rory responds.  "Is she tall?"

"What? Why?"

"Because you're tall and you're sister is tall for her age and your dad is tall and I just was curious."

"Tall compared to you.  She's taller than you, shorter than me."

"That tells me nothing."

"Do you want me to get out a tape measure?"

"Actually, that might be good.  She's staying at your house, right?  It might be easier and less awkward if you did it while she is sleeping, if you need help, you know the number."  Rory smiles suggestively at me.

We arrive and stare at my house for a minute.  I lean down to kiss her but pull away soon after because I don't want my mom or my sister to catch us in the act.  It seems like we're always avoiding someone.

Rory must have been thinking about the advice she thought her mom hadn't been able to tell me earlier at Luke's.

I begin walking to my house and she calls, "Dean!"  

"Yes?"

"You know, it's always a good idea to put the bread on top of heavy items when bagging."

I smile at her.  "Thanks Rory."  She smiles at me and walks away.

A/N: One more chapter, and it's Jess!! I had to save the best for last.  Enjoy! 


	5. Jess

Chapter 5- Jess 

Luke's Apartment- Morning

I open my eyes.  It's light out.  That means I should probably be in the diner, but my alarm hasn't gone off yet.  I strain my neck to see my alarm clock.  8:23.  Seven minutes until my alarm goes off, but not enough time to fall back asleep.  Ugh.  Stupid internal alarm.  I pull the covers over my head and lay in the silence and the isolation of my bed until the inevitable buzzing of the little box that runs my life. 

Just as I begin to doze off, _beep beep, beep beep._  Alright, I'm up.  I slap my clock and make my way out of bed and into the bathroom.  I turn on the water and get in the shower.  Quick shampoo and rinse, I grab my towel and get ready for the day.

I make my way down the steps to the already crowded diner trying to make a quick decision as far as what needs to be done first.  I spot Rory and Lorelai without coffee in front of them.  I can take care of that.  I pull out two of the largest mugs we have, because the more they have in front of them means less work for me.  I then put these mugs away and instead decide on relatively small mugs.  After all, Dean is over there, and the more chances I have to go over there, the more chances I have to make Dean's face turn all red and his head to explode.

After delivering them coffee and clearing tables, I walk into the back and scribble a note on the inner fold of a napkin, and grab some extra napkins and pick up the two plates that had syrup on the food, and each with two sides of syrup, they can only be for two people I know.

I deliver the food and napkins, then I remember Dean.  He probably ordered food too.  Huh.  This place is called "Luke's," that's not me.  He can deal with it.  

I lean on the counter and pull the book out of my back pocket.  

"Jess," Luke interrupts my train of thought; he is the master at that.

"Yes?"

"Whose omelet is this?"

I shrug.

"Well, help me out, did you deliver Rory and Lorelai their food?"

"Yes."

"Did you take some food to Dean?"

I pretend to think real hard about it.

"Well did you or didn't you?" 

"Huh.  Guess not."

"Were you going to take it to him?" Luke asks.

"I thought you said you were going to."

"Why would I say that?"

"Why would you lie about it?  That's the real question." I state calmly. 

"I never lied about it.  I never said that!" Luke exclaims.

"Tell it to the judge, Uncle Luke.  Right now don't you think you should take out the food that you said you would?"

"I didn't say that.  What am I supposed to tell Dean?"

"Tell him the toaster broke."

"Because he has toast with his omelet."

"Yeah… that would hold the fib together."

"You should stop lying."

"Will do, Uncle Luke.  You should take that food out."

"Fine, do some dishes."

Dishes? Yeah… that'll happen.  

I watch Luke deliver the food to Rory's table.  As always, seeing her creates little scenarios in my head, all for my benefit.  When is she going to act out my fantasies and break up with Dean, and run over and hug me for support, and allow me to kiss her tear stained face.  When can I make out with her?  When will she realize that she wants to be with me?  Or, when will she be able to tell people that this is what she truly what she wants.  Only time can tell.  In my fantasies, this is happening right now.  

I miss Rory reading the note on the napkin, but know when she has read it because she watches me and avoids eye contact.  As if when she's looking at the side of my face, I can't tell that she's looking at me.

I watch her as I leave the diner.  I raise my eyebrows to let her know that I am leaving and to silently request for her to come and find me.

I sit down on the bridge with my legs dangling over the side just staring in the clear, placid water of the Stars Hollow Lake.

I hear soft footsteps of little dainty feet attached to the thin figure of the only person in this town worth going out of my way to talk to.

"Hey," I greet her as she continues walking towards me.

"Hey Jess," she responds and takes a seat next to me.  Not that I mind, but she is so close to me that I can feel the warmth from her body, and when the wind picks up, her hair blows onto the collar of my jacket.  I can't help but enjoy the feeling of anything of hers touching my body.

We sit in a comfortable silence, I wonder whether she came just to get her book back or if she wants to talk about other things.  I'll just follow suit.

"I'm glad you invited me out here," Rory starts.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

"Well, not only is it a beautiful day, and besides the fact that I love the bridge… well… I'm glad that you're here too."

She wants to be here with me.  "Any reason?"  I prod her for more information about her desire to be with me on the bridge, alone.

"Actually, I have a favor, well, it's more of a question to ask you that you are totally free to say no to."

"Don't worry about it, just go ahead and ask.  I've never had problems saying no to people."  

"Well, I have this English project to do, I have to make a video with Paris for English and we need a boy to be in our video and I told her that I would supply the male since I have a boyfriend."

"Good and logical plan.  Only one hole, I'm not your boyfriend."

"No you're not."

"So you're asking me instead of him?"

"Well, he's not really a big fan of Paris and would rather avoid her if he can," Rory explains.

I don't like talking about Dean.

"So what would I need to do in this video?"

"Well, we need to take two characters from books we have read this year and create a script and show their interactions and how we think they would get along and what they would say and talk about.  You would help us with everything, script, acting, and video taping."

"That sounds like a lot of fun," conversations with intelligent people about books, and time with Rory, what could be better.

"So, you'll do it?"

"Yeah.  I'll do it.  But you know, maybe we should run the script by Dean before we begin acting it out.  I bet he'd have a lot of insight on any characters we choose.  I hear he's read almost everything known to man."  I see Rory trying to hide a smirk and do her best to glare at me, but that's never stopped me before.  I've gotten used to the taste of my foot.  "Actually, I have a list of books I need to buy, you know, the revised list after you lent me that stack, but now I just feel silly going out and buying them before I talk to Dean.  I know that you and I both don't have them, but there's a pretty good chance that Dean will.  Don't you think?  Can you call him up?  Get out your phone, Ror, I'll find my list."  I stick my hand in my pocket and start digging around.  By the end of my speech, Rory's glare has transformed completely into a genuine grin accompanied by her cute laugh.  She begins lightly slapping me on my arm to get me to stop.

"How do you keep a straight face?"

"It's a gift."

"Yeah it is."  I love when I can make Rory laugh when she is trying to keep herself from laughing, this generally means that I am talking about Dean and she doesn't want to laugh at her boyfriend.  These laughs aren't from pity, or fueled by intimidation or popularity, but real and true, genuine smiles and laughs.

"Rory, I'm really sorry, but I should probably get back to the diner, my break's almost over.  Thanks for spending it with me."

"Anytime, thanks for the invitation."

"Call me tomorrow about the English video."

"See you then, Jess," Rory stands up and watches me and waits for me to stand up.

"Oh yeah, here's your book," I pull out John Sheppard's Small Town Punk: a novel from my back pocket.

Rory opens it to a random page and sees the notes in the margin, she reads one and I see her smile again.  I love to see this joy in her eyes that I helped create.

"Thanks Jess.  I'll walk you back to work."

-The end- 

Thanks for reading my story! Please review.  I would love to hear what you have to say about this story as a whole.  Kind of a different idea, but there it is.


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